The vibrant Satwa neighbourhood in Dubai recently underwent a comprehensive beautification project led by a local design firm E+A Studio.

Commissioned by Dubai Creative Unit, and executed in collaboration with Dubai Municipality and RTA, the revitalization breathes new life into the district’s public spaces as it celebrates the rich heritage and cultural diversity of its resident community.

The initiative is supported by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

This project is a pioneer in the city when it comes to revitalization of neighbourhoods as its successful completion has been followed by other projects such as the Super Block initiative, designed to transform residential neighbourhoods into car-free zones and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid's vision to re-imagine Dubai as a 20-minute city.

Project Fact Sheet

Client: Dubai Creative Unit

Partners: A project implemented in collaboration with Dubai Municipality and RTA

Location: Al Satwa, Dubai

Date of completion: 2024

Dubai Creative Unit is a collective with a mission to enrich the urban landscape of Dubai’s older settlements and improve the experiences of its residents and visitors. The Satwa project, among the first-of-its-kind to be rolled out in the Emirate, involves practical yet creative design interventions by E+A Studio that enhance the area’s liveability while preserving its identity. The additions also improve the touristic appeal of Satwa as a go-to-destination for street food, community markets and cultural events, a down-to-earth contrast to the city’s glitzy attractions.

Founder of E+A Studio and lead Architect on the project, Evgeniia Molchanova, recalls the brief, “Dubai is always building something new, so I was pleasantly surprised when we were approached to uplift a densely populated, historical part of the city. Our proposed interventions had to prioritize sustainability, address the needs of the community, and be implemented without disrupting the business and day-to-day life of the residents.”

With a history that dates back to the late 1960s when the first low-rise buildings were built, Satwa has witnessed a sea change in demographics over the last five decades from a quiet Emirati suburb to a burgeoning neighbourhood dominated by expatriates from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Philippines, drawn to the city during the boom in the 1990s.

By the 2000s, Satwa had become overpopulated and unsightly, leading to the start of the area’s urban re-planning in 2007. Uncharacteristically for Dubai, this was met with creative protests by artists including writer and filmmaker Mahmoud Kaabour with his multi-disciplinary project Satwa Stories and Memories of Satwa by Gulf Photo Plus, works that served to commemorate the hidden gems and iconic character of the neighbourhood, now on the brink of gentrification. The financial recession in 2008 unexpectedly brought the redevelopment plans to a halt, allowing Satwa to live on.

Since then, this beautification by E+A Studio in 2024 has been the first sensitive intervention in the area.

Selected for their innovative approach that blends design and science, E+A Studio is a Dubai-based firm that integrates principles of neuroarchitecture to craft environments that foster user wellness.

Led by Evgeniia Molchanova, the team on the Satwa project including Senior Urban Designer Camila Rodriguez Rey, come from diverse backgrounds and a wealth of global experience in urban redevelopment, wayfinding strategies and community uplifts in New York, Argentina and Russia.

The Design Approach

Prior to embarking on the revitalization, the team spent considerable time to recce the neighbourhood and speak to residents to understand their specific needs. The team also worked closely with Dubai Municipality to clean and restore the area to make it conducive for the uplift.

The primary scope of the project was to create a safe and enjoyable walking route that encourages exploration of the neighbourhood’s lively streets, and design spaces for community engagement. Encompassing the roundabout, Satwa Grand Mosque, bus terminal and adjoining streets, the first phase of the beautification project focused on one of the main thoroughfares of the district.

As a design firm with aesthetics rooted in modern minimalism, simplicity and order, Evgeniia, also a long-time resident of Dubai, remembers how overwhelmed the team was at the start of the project:

“Satwa has its own character that doesn’t conform to the classical cannons of beauty. There’s lots happing with the lights, colours and structures. There is no sense of organization, no right angles. It was daunting in the beginning but we made peace with it and saw the beauty that lies beneath, even if it is not the polished beauty that you are used to seeing in Dubai. It has soul and energy and our job was to preserve its authentic essence and introduce design elements that seamlessly integrate into the fabric of the neighbourhood without disrupting its unique flow.”

Blending contemporary design with Satwa’s traditional charm, E+A Studio adopted a holistic approach that focused on sustainability and urban revitalization. From green spaces to vibrant street art and wayfinding elements, every intervention was meticulously designed and curated to fosters a sense of place and connectivity.

Acknowledging the resident community’s sense of belonging and deep passion for protecting Satwa’s identity, the team also made it a point to engage the public where possible, particularly in the upkeep of green spaces.

Design Features

The most challenging aspect of the project was to design functional yet aesthetic elements that would stand out in the visual clutter of the streets. Instead of competing with the loud colours and lights, the firm decided to go against the flow with sleek, minimal design features and a neutral palette with pops of colour only for the festoon-like shading elements that frame the streets.

The empty plots owned by Dubai Municipality were given a makeover with grey and white gravel stone flooring and converted into public squares for pop ups, community markets and a stage for street music – a feature requested by the fun-loving Filipino community in the area who fondly refer to Satwa as “mini-Manila”.

Neglected public areas were transformed into mini parks with modular seating that could be easily adapted and configured to fit the irregular spaces. Fabricated by Metalfabrik using galvanized stainless steel and locally sourced stone from UAE-based Petraviva, the bespoke seating was designed by E+A Studio to be sustainable through the use of durable materials.

Native and drought-resistant flora, well-adapted to Dubai’s harsh climate, were chosen from the Dubai Municipality nursery and used to green the spaces. 

The firm spent a month developing the design elements and a month working with suppliers to install on site, turning the project around in record time.

“It is hard to define this as just a design project. It is something with a deep social impact. The most satisfying part of the project was collaborating with the community to make every little addition relevant for them. They were so excited to use the seating spaces for their lunch breaks and even care for the plants themselves. Many have lived in the UAE for over 30 years and their sense of pride and belonging touched us deeply”, added Evgeniia.

Talking about how they arrived at the design of the wayfinding elements, Senior Urban Designer Camila Rodriguez Rey, said, “It is counterproductive to go bigger and brighter when designing for Satwa. So, we decided on bold and simple graphics that appear as if they don’t belong there. That is the only way to grab attention.”

The subtle yet effective wayfinding elements include the white wavy lines on the pedestrian pathway marking the walking route, and dynamic light installations featuring stick figures and the UAE’s famous three-finger salute that not only enhance the night time ambiance but also reflect Satwa’s 24-hour vibrancy.

During the course of the revamp, E+A Studio’s commitment to making this a community-centric project grew to such proportions that they went above and beyond the defined project area and scope of work to create podium seating for labourers. They even negotiated with Dubai Municipality to clean and protect the gardens planted by residents.

“Urban revitalization is not something that should be imposed on the community. It should come from them, and for them. This was the first time that anyone had asked the residents of Satwa what they wanted and made it happen. We are grateful to have been a part of this commendable initiative by Dubai Creative Unit that is not about cosmetic enhancements but about interventions that have long-lasting impact” concluded Evgeniia.

Together, the Super Block initiative and Satwa’s revitalization illustrate Dubai’s commitment to transforming its urban landscape.

Photo credits: Sergey Nekrasov